Pepper Imps
by lydiamaartin
Summary: A boy accidentally ruins Rose Weasley's box of pepper imps. She drags him back to her compartment so he can buy her some new ones when the trolley witch comes by, and a life-long friendship is created.


**Disclaimer: I own no one, though I'd like to own Albus Severus and Scorpius, just so I could change those horrible names!**

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**Four rapid knocks sounded on the door of the compartment. Albus Potter jumped up to open the door—he and Rose had locked it to stop random people from barging in and firing questions about Harry Potter at them.

He recognized Rose's signature knock, however, and opened the door to let her in. She hadn't come alone though, following behind her was a small, blond boy, about their age, who looked highly bemused.

"Er, Rose?" Al glanced at his cousin. "Who is he?"

"This is Scorpius Malfoy." Rose smiled sweetly at the boy, who shifted his weight and waved at Al. "And he owes me a box of pepper imps."

"I said I was sorry," muttered Scorpius.

Al sympathized. "You ruined her pepper imps? I did that once too, and she wouldn't talk to me for a week." He extended his hand. "I'm Al Potter, by the way."

"Scorpius Malfoy." They shook hands. "I've heard about you. Your older brother goes to this school, doesn't he?"

Al made a face as the three took their seats. "Yeah, James. He's a right royal pain. He's always making fun of me about being Sorted into Slytherin."

Scorpius frowned. "But we haven't been Sorted yet," he pointed out.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Try telling James that. Once he gets something stuck in that thick skull of his, you can't get it out."

"That's what Mum says about Dad," said Scorpius thoughtfully.

"Same here," echoed Rose and Al. The three traded glances, and Rose started giggling, her laughter joined by the two boys.

"So, what's wrong with being in Slytherin?" Scorpius asked Al. "Dad says it's the best House." He paused. "And then Mum says Ravenclaw is the best House, and they start arguing," he added with a grin.

"Sounds like my parents," Rose said. "Except they fight about everything _except_ Houses."

"Everyone always tells such horrible stories about Slytherins," explained Al in response to Scorpius's question. "Like how Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange were all Sorted there." He hesitated, glancing at Scorpius.

"And Lucius Malfoy," finished Scorpius with a half-smile. "Don't worry, I won't get offended."

He might have said more, but there was a knock on the door. "Sweets, anyone?" The trolley witch called out.

Rose flashed Scorpius a wide smile. He eyed her nervously and stood to open the door, revealing the witch and her trolley of candy.

"One box of pepper imps," he said hastily, digging some sickles out of his pockets.

"And two licorice wands," added Al, passing Scorpius his own sickles.

"Plus a pack of ice mice," Scorpius took Al's sickles and handed the witch their combined money. She pulled out their requested candy and gave them to Scorpius before walking off.

"Here you go," said Scorpius, thrusting the box of pepper imps at Rose, who accepted them happily.

Al unwrapped a licorice wand and began sucking on it. "So, what's your favorite subject?" he asked Scorpius conversationally.

"Herbology," admitted Scorpius. "Dad can't understand it, but plants really fascinate me."

"I like Defense," Rose said, opening her box and carefully selecting a pepper imp. "Mum's always going on about Uncle Harry's influence, since she wasn't very good at Defense when she was in school."

Al snorted. "Aunt Hermione's idea of 'not very good' is an E," he told Scorpius.

Scorpius grinned. "Sounds like my mum. What's your favorite subject, though?"

"Honestly?" Al toyed with the end of his licorice wand. "History of Magic. It's just so interesting," he added defensively, though Scorpius hadn't said anything yet. "Though according to Mum and Dad, it was a real bore in their days."

"I'm not going to make fun of you," Scorpius told him after swallowing an ice mouse. "I mean look at me—I'm a Malfoy who likes Herbology! It frustrates Grandfather Lucius, he thinks it's boring."

Al grinned. "I guess we're all just unusual—all of our parents think our favorite subjects are boring."

"Except Mum," corrected Rose. "Though, she doesn't think any subject is boring."

"Yeah, well, Aunt Hermione's just weird like that," dismissed Al, then grinned at his cousin. "You know, I never thought I'd be making friends with a Malfoy on the train ride."

"Yeah." Scorpius looked wistful. "My parents don't really go out anywhere, so I'm mostly at home. It gets boring without friends."

"Well, we can be friends," said Rose immediately. "Maybe we'll even be Sorted into the same House."

"Even Slytherin?" Scorpius cast a side-long glance at Al.

"Even Slytherin," agreed Al.

Rose sniffed. "_I'm_ not going to Slytherin."

Al frowned at her. "But Rose, your mother's always talking about not being prejudiced—"

Rose cut across him with a smile. "I'm not going to Slytherin because I want to go to Ravenclaw." She mock-glared at Scorpius. "And so he won't ruin any more of my pepper imps!"

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**Author's Notes: So, it's pretty much fanon that these three end up friends starting from the train ride, but I didn't want to do something cliché, like Scorpius is running from bullies or Al and Rose can't find any empty compartments (no offense to anyone who has written that). So, I came up with this! I like the idea of Rose dragging Scorpius back to the compartment to buy her some pepper imps. If you like this story too, let me know with a review!**


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